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Plenty has been documented about the practice of running, a restorative movement with capacity for cathartic release. In the realm of professional sports, yet, the stress of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends awards and honors to explore the existential drive that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose life paths split when they enter elite competition. Previously the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the pair progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the tale documents their mental obstacles, exposing the challenges of an competitor’s existence, trapped in a pattern of public scrutiny, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Creative Merits

Possibly it’s because of the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime lacks in plot refinement and pacing, it compensates for in breathtaking graphics. Employing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is drawn atop live-action footage, the movie produces remarkably precise dash moments. The athletic effort of a race is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of contests are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race concludes in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the scene. Beyond spoken words, these displays of stylistic brilliance embody the almost spiritual high the movie aims to evoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is in UK cinemas from November 16.